Mold fears spur questions about biotech corn

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Mold fears spur questions about biotech corn

By Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Midwestern farmers and environmental groups are asking

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman to block a biotech corn containing a toxic

mold that they fear could contaminate the food supply.

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They want the corn kept off the market until tests can determine whether it

caused some hogs and cattle in Midwestern states to become infertile.

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Agriculture Department researchers suspected some Iowa cattle and hogs

became sterile after eating the potentially moldy corn. An environmental

group, Friends of the Earth, has sent letters to Veneman asking that the

corn be blocked.

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Most farmers in Minnesota, Michigan and Iowa who have had problems with the

corn produced by Garst Seed Co. don't want to discuss it publicly, said

Larry Bohlem, a spokesman for Friends of the Earth.

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" They're kind of afraid because they're afraid to lose the value of their

corn, " Bohlem said Tuesday.

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Bohlem said the agencies in charge of regulating grain, including the

Agriculture Department and the Food and Drug Administration, have failed to

act quickly. He said he worried that the grain will end up in tacos and

tortilla chips. That would be a replay of a scare that occurred two years

ago when Aventis' StarLink corn, which wasn't approved for human

consumption, was found in the food supply. Recovery efforts cost the

agriculture industry billions of dollars.

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Bynum, spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department, said the

potentially moldy corn is the FDA's responsibility to investigate. FDA

officials said they were looking into the matter.

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The corn is a variety known as Bt corn, genetically designed so that it won'

t contain molds. Initial tests have indicated, however, that it contains the

mold fusarium, which can sicken animals and humans. Researchers for the USDA

's Agricultural Research Service have said they believe the problem may be

caused by a biological chemical compound.

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Jerry Rosman, a farmer who operates Rolling R Farms in Harlan, Iowa, said he

thought the corn was the source of his problems when reproductivity in his

hog herd dropped from about 90 percent to 20 percent from October 2000 to

August 2001.

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The sows appeared to be pregnant but produced no litters. Rosman said he

destroyed the herd but notified the Agriculture Department after four of his

neighbors said they had similar problems.

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The corn " was the common denominator " in all the cases, Rosman said.

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Scientists began testing Rosman's corn last fall but had to stop this summer

because of a court battle between Rosman and his father about the farm's

operations. To settle the dispute, a district court judge in Shelby County,

Iowa, ordered the corn sold and the cattle auctioned, Rosman said.

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" That's the wrinkle in this. Otherwise, this wouldn't be an issue, and this

corn would be in my control and the livestock would be in my control and we'

d just hang onto it for research, " he said.

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Rosman said he hopes Veneman's office will hold the 35,000 bushels of corn.

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" I just think that this has some far-reaching effects, " he said. " What if I'

m right with this? "

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Although the corn was sold, publicity about the grain led the elevators that

bought it to refuse to take delivery.

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Rosman's case has drawn attention from farmers in surrounding states. Rosman

said nearly a dozen farmers from Michigan, Minnesota and others in Iowa have

stepped forward, saying they saw reproductivity drop in their hog and cattle

herds.

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Garst Seed spokesman Jeff Lacina said in a statement Tuesday that the

Slater, Iowa, company is aware of the situation and already conducted its

own investigation.

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" We are confident that corn seed has not caused the problems he has

experienced, " Lacina wrote. " The hybrids that Mr. Rosman purchased have been

widely grown for several years and no one else who has grown them has

reported similar experiences to us. "

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On the Net:

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Agriculture Department: http://www.usda.gov

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Food and Drug Administration: http://www.fda.gov

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Garst Seed Co.: http://www.garstseed.com